Trikala
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{{Infobox Town GR
|name = Trikala |name_local = Τρίκαλα |image_coa = |image_map = GreeceTrikala.png |periph = Thessaly |prefec = Trikala |province = |population = 51,862 |population_as_of = 2001 |population_ref = source |pop_dens = 749 |area = 69.2 |elevation = 115 |lat_deg = 39 |lat_min = 33 |lat_hem = N |lon_deg = 21 |lon_min = 46 |lon_hem = E |postal_code = 421 00 |area_code = 24310 |licence = ΤΚ |mayor = |website =
}} Trikala (Greek: Τρίκαλα) is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala Prefecture. It is located NW of Athens, NW of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki and W of Larissa.
Located in the fertile plain of Thessaly in central Greece, modern Trikala is the Homeric Trica (Trikki), one of the places touted as the birthplace of Aesculapius (Asklepios), who is more often said to have been born at Epidaurus, where his main temple was situated in antiquity. Ruins of an old sanctuary to the physician-god, an Asklepieion, or healing place, are located between the central square and the church of Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos) in Trikala. It is the oldest Aesculapium of Greece - a kind of medical center, from which the worship of Aesculapius gradually spread.
There are other late Hellenistic and Roman period remains, mosaic floors, a stoa and baths. Dominated by its Byzantine fortress on Hellenistic foundations occupying the ancient Acropolis, the picturesque city is divided into two by the river Lithaios. The churches of Agios Demetrios and Agii Anargyri lend more Byzantine character to the modern town.
Trikala has also been known as the watermelon (karpouzi) capital of Greece. One of its most famous citizens is Vassilis Tsitsanis, one of the greatest musicians of modern Greece.
Trikala also has a hospital. The Physical Education and Sport Science department of the University of Thessaly is located in Trikala. It was founded in 1994 and the first students were admitted in the academic year 1994-1995. It was housed in the Matsopoulos Park facilities and moved to the new Karyes campus on July 1999. Trikala has over 50 schools of secondary education.
Contents |
Sites of interests
Sister cities
Persons
- Georgios Kondylos (August 14, 1879 - January 31, 1936 in Athens), a Greek politician
- Sotirios Kyrgiakos, a Greek football (soccer) player
- Giorgos Margaritis, a Greek singer
- Efthimios Rentzias, (born January 11 1976), a professional basketball player
- Vasileios Tsiartas (b. November 12, 1972 in Palaiochori Trikalas)
- Vassilis Tsitsanis (January 18, 1915 - January 18, 1984), a Greek singer and a songwriter
External links
- City of Trikala
- http://www.trikala.net
- In German:
- In Greek:
Template:Prefectural capitals of Greece
Another Trikala (Greek: Τρίκαλα) is a village in western Corinthia, 33 km south of Xylokastro, and west of Stymphalia. It is also northeast of Mount Cyllene as well. The monasteries are further west.
Another village named Trikala is situated in the eastern part of the prefecture of Imathia. The nearby places are Platy to the north, Lianovergi to the northwest and Koryfi to the west.de:Trikala el:Τρίκαλα es:Trikala pl:Trikala ro:Trikala sv:Trikala tr:Tırhala